My wife asked me to look into getting circus tickets for us and the 2 of our kids that are old enough to enjoy the "Zing Zang Zoom" Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus when it comes to town. She got some sort of discount code, which I entered.

Cost for the 4 tickets was supposed to be $38, but then I noticed that Ticket Master wanted to add another $3.75 per ticket "convenience charge". I couldn't find any additional information about what, exactly, this charge was for. It wasn't called an "online charge", so I'm assuming it would be charged whether I order online or at one of their windows. Without any details, what is so convenient about it?

It adds about 40% on to the cost of the tickets, without anything more than a vague label.

Then, to add insult to injury, I found out that you can't just print out the tickets. Oh, no, that would be too simple. They want another $2.50 in order to let you use your own printer and print them! I thought maybe I'd swing by to pick them up in person, but they want $3 for you to do that! (& then you spend $ on gas, too) UPS 3 day delivery was $14.50. Regular mail delivery was offered for free, but with that option they would wait about 7 weeks before mailing it - supposedly 48 hours before the event, in a plain, unmarked envelope.

I can only assume they aren't mailing out right away with the postal service in order to try to get most folks to avoid the free option.

It's pretty aggravating, and at this point I guess I'm glad I haven't messed around with them before. Plus, they probably have a monopoly on the ticket sales, and I'm guessing if you want tickets, there is absolutely no way to avoid most of these scam fees, right?

According to Ticketmaster, there is no convenince charge if you drive to and purchase your tickets at the box office.

Is the convenience charge always the same no matter where I buy my tickets? No, the convenience charge will vary depending upon where you purchase the tickets. There is typically no convenience charge when you drive to a box office to purchase tickets. A convenience charge is applied when you purchase from the Internet, phone or ticket outlet (e.g., at your local department store), and this charge may vary depending upon Ticketmaster's local agreements with its venue, promoter and outlet partners.

As someone who works for Ticketmaster you can call them and tell them the code phrase... "the turkey still smells like gravy" and then they will wave the fee's..

linrick

Anymoo?

posted: Mar. 11, 2010 @ 10:57a

it's totally a rip off but can't do anything about it. i bought a parking pass at the cowboys stadium for $50 and then had to cough up another freaking $2.50 to print from my own computer. don't know where i can file a complaint tho, but i only bought tickets online from Ticketmaster two or three times in my lifetime so far.

JustAce

Senior Member

posted: Mar. 11, 2010 @ 11:01a

You thought it was bad when Ticketmaster and LiveNation were seperate companies. Just wait now that they've merged!

IStillPickUpPennies

Senior Member - 1K

posted: Mar. 11, 2010 @ 5:56p

>you can call them and tell them the code phrase... "the turkey still smells like gravy" and then they will wave the fee's..

I tried that, and the rep kept saying "what?".

Seriously, though, if you can avoid the fee by picking up, then they add another $3 fee for picking the tickets up in person. Plus, I assume that by going to the 'box office' and getting the tickets, you can't apply any discount codes like you can online.

So, by picking up, I would lose out on the $16 in savings from the discount code. (pre-sale, or whatever they advertised) Then I would be charged the $3 ticket pickup fee. However, I would save the $15 in "convenience charges".

End result:

add 16add 3subtract 15

Grand total: $4 more for picking up in person. They've got it set up so there is really no way to avoid the fees, I guess.

shimmeringtrance

Member

posted: Mar. 11, 2010 @ 8:54p

I never see shows where the tickets have to be bought through Ticketmaster, I just refuse to pay their ridiculous fees. I hate that company more than the cell phone companies.

AbbaZabba

Addicted Member

posted: Mar. 12, 2010 @ 1:46a

I fail to see the problem with free shipping. As long as they offer it as an option then the tickets should get there on time. It doesn't matter when they ship them... if they don't arrive in time it's ticketmasters fault not yours.

I've used the free shipping on $200+ tickets and never had a problem.

davef139

Senior Member - 4K

posted: Mar. 12, 2010 @ 4:01a

I purchased over 3k in tickest last year from TM, have never hada problem with the free shipping. Also the charges are how they make money along with some venue fees.

michal1980

Whistle Blower

posted: Mar. 12, 2010 @ 6:03a

IMHO all the ticket processors are scam artists. Fee's vary based on act, so it always adds a huge chunk of cash to the price of a ticket. I've had it add up to almost double the cost of a ticket for a 'cheap' show. For a service that is more and more automated every year, Ticketmasters costs should go down, yet fee's always go up.

I strongly disagreed with the allowed merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster, this will just result in less competition, and higher fee's.

linrick

Anymoo?

posted: Mar. 12, 2010 @ 9:14a

i thought there was only $2.50 for printing my own parking pass for the cowboys stadium. but just as i go thru purchasing the ticket, there's an additional freeeeeeeaking $5 processing fee. 1 freeeeeaking parking pass cost total of $57.50! damn! damn! damn!

If it's not too painful, just get the tickets at the box office. Give ticketbastard nothing.

buckeye90

Member

posted: Mar. 29, 2010 @ 3:23p

IStillPickUpPennies said: Regular mail delivery was offered for free, but with that option they would wait about 7 weeks before mailing it - supposedly 48 hours before the event, in a plain, unmarked envelope.

I can only assume they aren't mailing out right away with the postal service in order to try to get most folks to avoid the free option.

They want you to pay 2.50 to use your own printer they don't have to print them, stuff the envelope or pay for the postage/insurance.

My buddy was really worried about this and always pays to print them. I told him that there is NO WAY that would risk shipping them out 48 hours before the event. So we ordered tickets for an event on May 22nd on Feb 20th and received them about 2 weeks later.

You have to figure that the trouble of you not getting the tickets (chargebacks, dissatisfaction etc)are not worth them waiting until the last min to send them.

Also, to avoid fees, take the chance and buy them from someone who has already paid the fees for you the night of the event/scalper (they know that most people will not take the chance, especially with kids)

davef139

Senior Member - 4K

posted: Mar. 29, 2010 @ 9:43p

Well here are some observations.

1. Free shippping is way to go, they seem to ship the same time as UPS.2. Convenience fees and processing come with buyign tickets, if you don't like it go look on eBay or go to event location box office and buy.3. If you don't receive them, call TM and they will leave at WillCall.4. Few weeks before a show? I purchased most of my tickets last year in Oct/Nov, most were printed within 2weeks, and the shows are not for another month. Although my last tickets came this last week, Purchased Oct18, Printed Mar19, Arrived Mar24, Concert on Jun02. 5. $3.50 is a very small fee.

qcumber98

Pickled

posted: Mar. 30, 2010 @ 3:09a

LOL Thanks for another classic thread. It's gold, Jerry! Gold!!

FrugalFreaky

Roll Tide

posted: Mar. 30, 2010 @ 3:46a

michal1980 said: IMHO all the ticket processors are scam artists. Fee's vary based on act, so it always adds a huge chunk of cash to the price of a ticket. I've had it add up to almost double the cost of a ticket for a 'cheap' show. For a service that is more and more automated every year, Ticketmasters costs should go down, yet fee's always go up.

I strongly disagreed with the allowed merger between Live Nation and Ticketmaster, this will just result in less competition, and higher fee's.

capitalism, Don't you love it michal? <snickers> they are just doing business, don't go interfering with thier right to make as many bucks as they can. LOL

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